Hidden Mist
by BlueOctopod
Summary: Naruto doesn't think he matters enough to have a soulbond. He's only a street rat and the demon container, he's not someone worthwhile. Fate has other plans. This is the soulmate AU where Naruto runs off to Kiri and his soulmate, Zabuza is forced to actually deal with emotions, and everyone else learns to live with the chaos they cause.
1. Intro

Naruto learns quickly.

He has to, when he's surrounded by children that hate him and workers that neglect him. He has to learn fast when the orphanage matron tosses him out and he takes to living on the street, to scavenging for food and fighting off older street rats that think him easy prey.

Naruto learns quickly, and the first lesson he learns is to never trust blindly.

He doesn't trust the men and women in masks that finally find him and bring him to the Hokage, he doesn't trust the smiling old man that tells him he'll be safe, that promises he'll be taken care of.

Where was he when Naruto suffered in the orphanage? Where were the men and women in masks when he had to dodge angry civilians and learn how to throw a punch, to keep himself from showing weakness?

They give him an apartment and an allowance and Naruto keeps quiet and watches all the while, wonders just why they're doing this-wonders how he's useful.

It's not like it matters though, not since he has a plan.

The goal is simple, really. He just wants-no, _needs_ -to leave Konoha behind.

But Naruto isn't dumb, he knows no six year old can survive long enough to reach another village.

He needs to be stronger and smarter and faster, he needs to be better than everyone else, better than the trackers the village will send (and he needs to know why he's useful, why he's important, why ANBU spent so long looking for him.)

So he signs up for the academy, he does his best to fake a smile and pretend he just thinks it's cool, that he actually admires the shinobi that follow him.

After all, the academy is useful. It teaches its students combat and survival skills, how to control the chakra he feels buzzing under his skin. It teaches skills he'll need if he wants to escape Konoha's clutches.

* * *

The growling won't stop. He hears it in class, he hears it when he's trying to sleep-it just won't stop! Even worse, he can practically feel the smug amusement that comes when he snarls under his breath-the smug amusement coming from his mind that he knows doesn't belong to him.

Naruto's had enough.

He stays up late one night meditating, trying to figure out what's wrong with him.

One moment the boy's fighting to stay awake and the next moment he blinks before finding finds himself knee deep in water.

"Ugh," Naruto mutters, walking through the dirty water and doing his best to ignore the squelching sounds beneath his shoes. He has to figure out where he is.

He was about to fall asleep and the next moment he's here-wherever here is. Naruto stops, mind frantically working. He can't have been kidnapped in such a short time, this feels too real to be a dream-oh.

"This sucks," he says with feeling, looking up at the dripping ceiling above him. His mind is a freaking sewer? Really?

Whatever, it doesn't matter. What matters is finding whatever keeps making noise and getting it to stop.

There's no sound, though, nothing besides the water sloshing and the squelching that comes when he moves.

Nothing until he takes a turn and ends up staring at the bars of a cage that reaches up and up and up.

There's a snarl, then, a sound that sends a shiver of fear down his spine, a sound that makes him freeze.

A sound followed by a clanging against the bars and a muzzle sticking out. Naruto only barely keeps himself from flinching.

His gaze wanders, following the shape of the beast's head to its body-to the nine tails lazily waving in the false air of his mindscape.

Naruto blinks, ice in his veins and head pounding, before he think again.

That explains, well, everything.

 _Come to visit?_ The fox growls, cold anger in its voice-a cold anger Naruto easily recognizes.

"You're keeping me up. I can't do anything with all the noise." He responds, folding his arms and doing his best to look confident.

 _So?_ The fox asks, voice turning sharp, _Why should it matter? I have no interest in helping Konoha turn my jailer into a weapon._

"And you think I do?" Naruto asks, taking a step forward without thinking about it.

"I hate it here! I hate that everyone hates me! I hate that I'm only alive in case I'm useful, I hate that they expect me to kill for them but they treat me like shit!"

He's close to crying now, hands clenched into fists at his sides as he stares the fox down.

"I'm gonna graduate. I'm gonna become a shinobi, and then I'm getting out of here. You can help or you can be quiet, but stop making noise!"

Somehow he can tell the fox is surprised. He watches it watch him before it sighs and lowers itself back down to the ground.

 _You're not like her at all,_ it mutters before resting its head against the bars.

 _All right, little Uzumaki_ , the fox says, giving Naruto a considering look. _My name is Kurama. If you really want to leave Konoha behind, I'll help you._

Naruto knows not to trust someone immediately, knows that if you take someone-especially someone dangerous-at their word you could end up dead.

But something tells him Kurama is telling the truth.

"Alright," he tells the fox in a shaking voice, "that works."

 _Good,_ the fox growls back, obviously pleased. _But now you should sleep._

* * *

The first thing he registers is the cold of the floor beneath his head, followed closely by the sunlight peaking through the curtains when he opens his eyes.

Naruto moves to sit up, wincing at the scrapes that came from sleeping on the floor, when he freezes before rushing to the toilet.

He's hunched over the toilet, doing his best to avoid looking at the vomit staining the chipped enamel, when he hears the fox again.

 _Oh._ Kurama speaks up, sounding almost embarrassed. _Should've expected that._

"What did you do?!" Naruto demands in between heaves, finally staggering to his feet and turning on the sink.

 _I may have changed some of your chakra systems and modified the seal._

The boy gulps in a mouthful of water before spitting it out, turning the knob again and splashing it over his mouth and neck.

He's ready to yell back at the fox when he stops, looking in the mirror with wide eyes. He's still nauseous, sure, but there's something else.

There's a weight just beneath his heart, a strange pulling sensation demanding he follow.

"What?" Naruto gasps out, "what is that?"

 _That,_ and the fox actually sounds pleased, _is what you humans call a bond._

"What?!" he practically screeches, twisting in surprise.

 _The modifications to your systems and the seal triggered your soulmate bond early. Congratulations,_ the fox replies, clearly smug.

"I can't have a bond!" Naruto insists. "Bonds are for important people, bonds are for people who matter. Not, not-"

 _A street rat? The demon container? The fox replies. Face it brat, you're one of the lucky few with a soulmate._

 _Cheer up. When we're ready to leave all you have to do is follow the bond out of Konoha._

"So the stories about bonds are true?" Naruto asks tentatively.

 _Depends on which stories you're thinking of. You can't read minds or anything like that-but simple things like emotions can be exchanged if the bond is finalized. Even if it isn't, whoever they are will still want to help you. Let's hope you've managed to snag someone way above your station. Not like that'd be hard, though._

"Go fuck yourself," Naruto snaps back, the curse coming easily after a year living on the streets.

The fox only laughs in response.

* * *

They've got a plan. It's a pretty terrible plan, if he's honest with himself, but it's their best shot at escaping Konoha.

At this rate he has another year until graduation. All Naruto has to do is wait until the bond becomes impossible to ignore and then leave. The specifics of the plan is where it gets complicated.

He's spent hours discussing just how to fake his death with Kurama and neither of them have settled on an answer they both like. He needs to fool the Hokage, he needs to fool ANBU, he needs to fool the council. Managing to fool all three is a tall order.

The old man's also been acting off lately, acting almost guilty. It's why Naruto's opening the window to the Hokage's office at midnight, bypassing the intruder seal on the floor and sneaking over to the desk. It's simple enough to open, even if Kurama insists on keeping a running commentary the entire time.

None of the reports he can find shed any light on the situation, not until he triggers a latch that unlocks a false bottom on the final drawer.

Naruto takes the report and flips through it before biting down on his lip until a bit of blood trickles down.

It's a report on him. A report with phrases like "inadequate loyalty," "hostility shown towards figures of authority," "appears to resent village."

What makes him stop, what makes him bite his lip to keep from screaming, is the note in the margins.

The note that says "termination is strongly recommended. New container needed."

Fuck.

 _Fuck,_ the fox says a moment later, echoing his own thoughts.

He's not naive enough to think the Hokage won't go through with it, not naive enough to think the old man won't bend if the council applies the right amount of pressure.

Naruto grabs the report and tucks into the scroll in his jacket, pressing a hand over the spot before leaping back out the window.

The report didn't say when "termination" would happen, just that it would, and he can't afford to wait to find out.

It's a quick dash across the rooftops to his apartment where he carefully lifts up a loose floorboard.

Food, clothing, medical supplies, it's all in the scrolls hidden under the floorboards.

A flash of panic overtakes him before Naruto shoves it aside. He can't afford to panic, not when his life is on the line.

Naruto has an unbelievable amount of chakra, two years of training from the nine tailed fox itself, enough supplies for a month, and a knot in his chest pulling him away from Konoha.

It'll have to be enough.

* * *

"This is the worst."

Naruto had fled Konoha in the middle of the night, had spent the last two days stumbling along as the pulling of the bond urged him onwards, and constantly had to stop or speed up to avoid the ANBU tracking him. He was cold and hungry and angry and didn't think it could get any worse.

At least not until it started raining.

Now his clothes are soaked through-his only set of clothes, since the warming seals he'd tried to apply had the unfortunate side effect of setting the other set on fire.

His clothes are soaked through, his rations are wet, Kurama won't shut up, and now he's reached the coast.

The pull is urging him onwards but it's not like he can swim. He can't swim, he doesn't have chakra control for water walking, and there's no sign of a boat or even any signs of civilization around.

And his soulmate hasn't moved. His soulmate hasn't gone to look for him, his soulmate has stayed wherever they are (and he pushes aside the creeping whisper that says they don't want him, that says they won't care when he's dragged back to Konoha.)

With a sigh Naruto swings up and into one of the weird trees growing along the coast, settling into the branches. All he can do now is wait, either for his bonded to come looking or for ANBU to finally find him.

This is the _worst._


	2. Meeting

It's been a year since the Mizukage was defeated. A year since the three of them managed to kill the man and wipe out the council.

Mei's still not sure why Zabuza didn't turn traitor while Yagura's corpse was still warm, not sure why he didn't rush to take control from her and Kisame.

Not like it matters anymore, not when the man has proven himself loyal as they're rebuilt, as they've worked to make their village something to be proud of.

Zabuza is loyal, competent, and, despite his bad habits, an excellent shinobi.

It's just hard to remember that when he's pacing back and forth in her office looking moments away from going on a rampage.

"I told you-" Mei starts, resisting the urge to put her head in her hands, "we can't afford to send you off on a personal mission."

"I can feel them," the man snaps back, a manic glint in his eye. "I can feel them out there. I need to find them."

"And I told you we can't afford it! The political situation is still dangerously unstable, the only thing keeping some from rebelling is the threat of facing the Demon of the Hidden Mist. I will not allow it."

"Not allow-" Zabuza snarls, turning and slamming his hands down on the desk, but Mei doesn't flinch.

"Look," she sighs, "I cannot authorize sending you off while they're staying put. If they move to seek you out you'll have permission to find them. But right now we need you."

The man looks at her for a moment, familiar anger in his eyes, before he reins himself in.

Zabuza strides out without a backwards glance, making a point of slamming the door behind him.

Mei rolls her eyes. For all his titles, for all the fear surrounding him, the man still acts like an academy student.

She's tempted to pity whoever fate paired him with.

* * *

"They've stopped moving!" He throws open the door to Mei's office, ignoring Kisame sitting in the corner.

"How are you Mei? Thank you, I'm doing well, how are you?" Mei asks sarcastically, obviously annoyed at the interruption.

"Whatever," Zabuza responds, ignoring the way one of her eyes twitches. "You said to stay put because they were moving to us, but now they've stopped."

They're at the very edge of the coast, and he just knows it's because they can't go any further.

"You'll leave even if I tell you not to, won't you?" Mei asks with a sigh.

He ignores that in favor of staring her down, years of training the only thing keeping him standing still.

"Take Kisame with you," the Mizukage finally responds, shooting the man a glare when he moves to protest.

Zabuza spares Kisame a glance before striding out the door, only barely keeping himself from abandoning appearances and running down the hall.

He has a soulmate to find

* * *

The ride to the coast is just long enough for worry to set in. Maybe they're a civilian, maybe they're someone that won't want to be tied to the Demon. Maybe this is a trap, maybe they have a grudge against Kiri.

"You might want to breathe," Kisame speaks up from beside him, hands lingering over the oars.

"Fuck off," he snaps in response, swallowing tightly as land comes into view.

"Relax," the other man continues, ignoring his scowl, "if they've come this far they won't be scared off by your charming personality."

Zabuza pries open a clenched fist to raise his middle finger, ignoring Kisame's loud laughter.

Finally they make it to land. He vaults over the side of the boat, leaving Kisame behind to tie it up, and makes his way over to the patch of mangrove trees a few dozen feet away from them.

His senses are screaming at him, the pull in his chest is pushing him closer and closer, telling him they're right there.

He's just about to reach the outcropping the trees are settled on, ignoring the swish of water around his ankles as he strides through the mud.

The trees rustle, then, and he's distantly aware of Kisame moving for Samehada. Distantly though, because right now all he can hear is his heart pounding louder and louder, all he can do is try to stay upright as the bond pushes him closer and closer.

Then a small shape falls out of a tree and rolls upright, turning to look at him. He meets his eyes and swears, just for a moment, his heart stops.

It's a kid. The boy's clothes are soaked and it's easy to see he's painfully skinny, especially through the wet clothes. Zabuza finds himself freezing as blue eyes blink up at him before the kid suddenly moves, throwing himself at the older ninja.

"You came." It's a muffled sob against his shirt as the kid clutches at the fabric, eyes wide and teary. He finds himself reaching his arms around the kid without thinking about it, capturing the boy in an awkward hug.

"Course I did," he mumbles, caught off guard by the kid's tears, caught off guard by the relief he feels that he somehow knows doesn't belong to him.

Kisame is watching, standing off to the side, but Zabuza ignores him. Without thinking about it he kneels down to look the kid in the eye, pulling back to see the shaking smile aimed at him.

"'M Naruto," the boy mumbles, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Uzumaki. Uzumaki, like the clan Kiri had done their best to destroy. Like the clan he'd believed had been thoroughly wiped out.

He pushes the thought aside, staring at his soulmate-his soulmate-instead.

"Momochi Zabuza."

The boy stops sniffling then, looking up at him with eyes that have somehow gone wider. "I saw you in the bingo book!"

That raises questions. Questions with answers he knows he won't like.

"How old are you, Naruto?"

"'M ten," Naruto replies, leaning into the arms settled on his shoulders.

"You're ten." Zabuza looks up to exchange a glance with Kisame, their thoughts obviously the same. His soulmate is obviously an academy student at the very least if he has access to a bingo book. Academy students don't just run away-and if he's already a shinobi he should've been caught already.

There has to be a story behind this, a story he's sure he won't like, but hearing it will have to wait.

Right now his soulmate is shivering and soaked and clearly hungry. Right now he has more important things on his mind.

"C'mon," he says, ushering Naruto to the tied up boat, "let's get you something to eat and then you can tell us what happened."

They climb in, Zabuza settling against the side as Naruto cuddles up to him. He looks down at the kid, at the tear tracks on Naruto's face.

Familiar bloodlust bubbles up, mixing in with the kid's relief and exhaustion. Whoever dared to hurt his soulmate needs to die, slowly and painfully.


	3. Truths Revealed

Kiri (because now he realizes he's in Kiri, now that the adrenaline has worn off) isn't what he was expecting.

Iruka-sensei had talked about why it was called the Bloody Mist and he'd overheard the news when the Mizukage was overthrown in the rebellion.

Naruto doesn't know what he was expecting, but it's not this. It's not a village full of people chatting on the side of the road, it's not children playing in the streets. There's vendors hawking their wares and would be preachers shouting on street corners. It's far too alive for a place called the Bloody Mist.

And that's not even counting his soulmate. Naruto had expected a shinobi, had somehow known they'd be a ninja.

He just didn't expect the Demon of the Hidden Mist. Distantly, as though it's a dream, he thinks he should be wary, even frightened about being bonded to a man like that. Momochi slaughtered his graduating class, the man is infamously cruel and ruthless, even for a place like the Bloody Mist.

Instead all he feels is contentment, he feels like he's safe for the first time in his life. He knows his soulmate won't harm him. He knows in his bones that this killer would rather die than hurt him.

Naruto's jolted from his thoughts by Zabuza and the other man-The Monster of the Hidden Mist, he thinks-stopping in front of a food stall.

It takes him far too long to realize why his soulmate is staring down the vendor. In fact, he doesn't really realize until Zabuza shoves a bowl in his hands.

"Eat," his soulmate orders gruffly.

His stomach growls then, reminding him he hasn't eaten in days. Naruto foregoes the spoon the vendor offers, instead tilting his head back and drinking out of the bowl. There's some sort of seafood in there, he thinks, chunks of pink meat mixed in with the broth.

Naruto sets the bowl back on the table and wipes a wet sleeve across his mouth before speaking up.

"What now?"

"Mei will want to speak to you," Hoshigaki speaks up then.

"Mei?"

"The Mizukage," Zabuza tells him, shooting a glare at Hoshigaki.

"I know the kid's freezing," the other man says, seemingly answering an unspoken admonition, "but you know Mei has to speak with a defector."

"Fine," his soulmate spits out, laying a hand on his shoulder as they walk through the streets. It's nice, he decides. Naruto has never been one for physical contact, not when it always came with pain. But this is nice, the warmth of his soulmates hand he can feel through wet clothes is reassuring, almost comforting.

Finally they arrive at the Mizukage's office building. Zabuza eyes the lines running out the building before sharing a look with Hoshigaki. Naruto lets out a strangled squeak as Zabuza picks him up before taking a running leap and landing on the building's wall.

"Faster this way," his soulmate explains, walking up the wall until they finally reach the windows at the top.

Naruto tumbles through the open window before landing on his feet, locking gazes with a pretty woman clad in a formal kimono. This must be Mei.

"Mei," Zabuza speaks up from behind up, climbing through the window. "This is Uzumaki Naruto, my soulmate."

"Hi," Naruto hesitantly offers, fighting the urge to shrink back as she looks at him.

"I was under the impression their clan was destroyed," she comments, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not lying," Naruto rushes to defend himself from the unspoken accusation. "I didn't even know I had a clan! Konoha didn't tell me about my parents, I had to learn from-" He freezes. Mentioning Kurama is probably a bad idea.

"Look," he pauses, unfastening his soaked jacket before digging through an inner pocket for the scroll.

"This explains most of it," Naruto offers, laying the scroll on the desk.

Mei unrolls it carefully, obviously checking for any traps, before reading it.

There's a moment of heavy silence, Zabuza shifting uneasily behind him and Hoshigaki leaning back, before she speaks.

"You're the nine-tails jinchuuriki."

"Yeah," Naruto agrees, ignoring the way his soulmate freezes.

"And I assume you fled Konoha because they were planning to kill you and replace you with a new container?"

"Yeah."

He feels a spike of rage at that, a rage he knows isn't his own.

"I hope this isn't too personal," Mei starts, "but why did they intend to replace you?"

Naruto straightens, hands clenched at his sides, before he speaks.

"I was raised in an orphanage. They threw me out and I spent two years on the streets before ANBU found me. And even then the civilians hurt me and the shinobi didn't care. Why should I fight for them, why should I die for them when all they did was hurt me?"

The rage is growing even more and Naruto reaches out without thinking, pressing his hand to Zabuza's arm in a gentle reproach.

His soulmate visibly works to calm himself, teeth clenching as he settles back down.

"You can feel his emotions," the Mizukage says, half a question and half a statement.

"We both can," Zabuza speaks up.

"The bond's strong then," she observes, eyes keen as she looks at them.

"Now, Naruto, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

He hesitates at that before finally speaking. His soulmate deserves to know the truth.

"I can talk to the kyuubi. His name is Kurama, and we worked together to escape Konoha. He trained me sometimes, since the academy teachers tried to fail me."

Surprise flashes through the bond.

"Is it a threat?" Mei asks bluntly.

"He got what he wanted," Naruto answers frankly, "and he hasn't bothered me since, so I don't know."

The Mizukage stares at him, fingers drumming on her desk, before speaking again.

"Naruto, who are your parents?" His soulmate looks at the mizukage, obviously confused at the considering gleam in her eye.

He pauses, hands twitching at his sides, before speaking.

"My mom was Uzumaki Kushina and my dad was Namikaze Minato."

The Mizukage sighs, leaning her head against flawlessly manicured nails, before responding.

"I suspected as much."

"Naruto," the woman continues, "I'll have Zabuza and Kisame escort you to the mizukage estate. You'll be safest there. After I'm finished here we can talk about making arrangements."

Naruto blinks. He's not sure what he expected but acceptance-even resigned acceptance-was more than he'd dared to hope for.

"I'll have a runner send a change of clothes. You should get some rest, too."

"Thank you, Mei-san," he mutters back, suddenly aware of just how tired he is.

"It's not a problem." She smiles then, warm and bright, before a hand clasps on his shoulder and Zabuza leads him out.

Naruto doesn't really remember what happened next. The most he can recall is flashes of people running across the streets they walked, of his soulmate and Hoshigaki talking in hushed voices, of entering a home with peeling white walls and collapsing onto the first soft surface he saw.


	4. Talks

The kid's passed out on the couch in the living room of the Mizukage's estate. Zabuza watches from his position in the kitchen, taking a sip of tea and narrowing his eyes as the kid curls up on himself in his sleep. Naruto's obviously doing his best to make himself less of a target, even in his sleep. Zabuza tries to tamp down on his growing rage, on his growing desire to leave Konoha a burning wreck filled with bloodied bodies.

"So," Kisame interrupts his increasingly bloody fantasies, "The son of the Yondaime and one of the Uzumaki."

"So?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Kisame replies, leaning against the kitchen counter and giving him a look.

"We destroyed Uzushio, you know that'll cause trouble. And bond or not, the kid is a jinchuuriki and son of the Yondaime, Konoha will want him back."

"I'd like to see them try," he spits out, face twisting into a sneer.

"It's only been a year," the other man emphasizes, "a year since we took the bastard down. We can't afford war with Konoha."

"I'm not letting them take him," Zabuza snarls in response, glaring fiercely at Kisame. The other man raises his hands in an appeasing gesture, waiting for him to calm down, before responding.

"I'm not saying we give him back. But Konoha's desperate, you know they'll try to take him at some point."

"Then we make sure they don't find out."

"You know it's not that simple," Kisame responds, shaking his head.

"Of course I do. I'm saying we keep them in the dark. We make them think he's died or disappeared completely. We let a few years pass, we make sure Naruto is one of the best in the entire fucking village. And then when Konoha comes calling they'll have a hell of a wake up call."

Kisame pauses. "That could work."

"Of course it will."

There's a moment of silence, Zabuza drinking the ridiculously strong tea Mei always keeps on hand and Kisame drumming his fingers on the counter, when the shark man speaks up again.

"The kid's fucked up, you know that?"

"Yeah," he confirms with a grimace before setting his mug down. "But that just means he'll fit in.

* * *

They wake the kid when a runner from Mei comes by with a change of clothes. He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down when Naruto wakes and he can feel the surge of panic the kid feels, watching as the kid rolls up and into a defensive position.

Naruto accepts the bundle of clothes hesitantly, clearly trying to conceal his surprise, before trudging to the bathroom and putting them on.

Zabuza can't help it, he feels an increasingly familiar feeling of defensive anger when the kid walks out and he really looks at him. As he looks at how the kid's short for his age, how he's practically drowning in clothes that should fit him. As he looks at the old scars on his soulmate's feet and legs.

He has a feeling he'll spend the rest of his life wanting to burn Konoha to the ground.

"Mei should be by soon," Kisame speaks up, interrupting the awkward silence that's developed, "and then we can get things sorted out."

He shifts uneasily at the spark of nervousness that inspires in Naruto. The kid calms soon enough though, eyeing him and jumping onto the counter a few feet away. It seems the kid's cautious, now that the relief has worn off, and Zabuza hates it. His own soulmate shouldn't be afraid of him.

Naruto startles, though he masks it well, when Mei finally walks in. Zabuza watches with a frown as his soulmate tucks his feet underneath him, clearly fighting the urge to hunch in on himself.

"Are you feeling better?" The Mizukage asks, and Naruto blinks back at her before responding.

"Yeah," the kid responds hesitantly, clearly not expecting the question, "I am."

"Good," Mei nods decisively before moving past Naruto to start another pot of tea.

She finally turns around, eyeing the pair of men before turning to look at Naruto with a gentle smile.

"We have some things to discuss, now that you're here."

"What sort of things?" Naruto asks suspiciously, twisting his hands together in a nervous tic.

"Well, there's the matter of instating you as a Kiri citizen. And there's getting you a place to stay-if you're alright with it, I'd prefer you live here. There's plenty of space if you need privacy and the security is some of our best."

The kid stares for a moment before recovering with a shaky nod.

"Good! Now, there's also the matter of the academy. You're a jinchuuriki, so I assume you know you'll have to enter. You can take the placement test any time this week, so just let me know when."

"Can I take it tomorrow?" the kid asks, nervously tugging at his sleeves.

"Sure," Mei answers, exchanging a glance with Zabuza, "though it's alright if you'd like to rest first…"

"No," Naruto insists with a sudden fire, "I need to take it soon."

"Alright," Mei says, obviously trying to placate him. "Now, as for the fox, we will need someone to train you. Kisame, your new mission is to track down Utakata."

"The container of the six-tails," she adds at Naruto's look of incomprehension. "Rumor says he could control it, so he should be able to train you."

"Persuasion or force preferred?" Kisame speaks up.

"You're authorized to use any means necessary. Zabuza," she adds, turning to look at him, "you have a month off from active duty. I have a feeling you'll be useless in the field while the bond is still fresh."

She's right. Just the thought of leaving his soulmate behind makes him twitch.

"Enjoy yourself," Mei continues, "spend time with your soulmate, try not to go mad from boredom."

That's enough to startle a snicker out of Naruto, who flushes when all three of them turn to look at him.

"We'll work the details later," Mei adds, "For now, Naruto, you should just focus on the placement test tomorrow. Zabuza can take you whenever you get up. We'll just see where you are and go from there."

"Alright," Naruto speaks up quietly, fingers tracing a meaningless pattern against his legs.

"What," the kid pauses, fear in his eyes, "what about Konoha?"

Zabuza doesn't bother biting back his snarl. "I'll kill everyone in that fucking shithole before letting them get to you."

The smile Naruto gives him is filled with a heartbreaking hope.


	5. Test

He's seen and done a lot of fucked up shit. Honestly, at this point, Zabuza was sure nothing could affect him. He should've seen it coming, he reflects ruefully, he should've known fate would take it as a challenge.

He was so certain nothing could affect him anymore, so confident in his status as one of the biggest and baddest in the Mist.

That's no longer true, he realizes, that's definitely no longer true when he can feel his soulmate's anxiety like it's his own, when he can almost mistake the clenching in his gut for his own fear.

And of course that just makes him angry in a way he hasn't been in a while, hasn't been since they overthrew the Mizukage. Naruto should be happy, Naruto should feel safe. His own soulmate shouldn't feel so anxious, so _afraid._

"That's not helping," Naruto speaks up then as he walks beside him, looking up at him so he can notice the dark bags under Naruto's eyes. That sparks concern again, worry and a sudden bit of panic. He's never cared about someone like this, never bothered to think of others beyond dividing them into ally and enemy. This is a hell of a learning curve.

"What?"

Naruto shifts uneasily before speaking. "I can feel how mad you are. It's distracting."

"It's-" Zabuza pauses, wonders how to say this without managing to scare him away. "This shit works both ways. You're nervous and afraid and you shouldn't be. You don't deserve whatever Konoha did to make you like this. It's hard to think about anything but slaughtering those fuckers for hurting you."

There's an emotion he can't quite identify coming through the bond, something that makes him want to smile as Naruto looks up at him.

"You care," his soulmate says wonderingly, as though he can't quite believe it.

"Look," he starts, feeling awkward. "I'm not an expert on this soulmate shit, alright? But I know enough to know you're mine and I'm yours. I'll care till the day I die."

They arrive at the academy then, Zabuza watching with a detached eye as kids rush in, before he nearly startles.

His soulmate's touching him, actually touching him, his hand loosely tangled around his own.

"Thanks," Naruto mutters before he can respond, so quiet he almost misses it, before straightening and joining the crowd of students rushing in.

* * *

He's been nervous since last night, anxious and scared that he'll somehow fuck it up. But once the the sensei hands him the test, Naruto finds his worry melting away.

Maybe it's the calm he can feel his soulmate trying to send through the bond. Maybe it's knowing that here the teachers won't fail him just because they can. Whatever the reason, he finds himself focusing on the questions with an intensity he didn't think he'd be able to manage.

Half the history questions he ignores, since they're about Kiri. The mathematics and literature ones are easy enough, thankfully.

No, what makes him stop are the questions marked under 'practical application.'

Naruto reads them with surprise, eyes widening at questions asking about appropriate targets and what counts as jeopardizing a mission, questions about his pain tolerance and how he'd react in situations listed.

This is a far cry from Konoha.

It's the final question that makes him pause, the question that only reads _How important is personal honor?_

He stares at it, ignoring Kurama's curiosity in the back of his mind, before finally answering.

 _A personal code is important,_ Naruto finally writes. _But it shouldn't outweigh being practical. Honor is useless if it gets in the way of getting things done._

Living on the streets, dealing with prejudice and neglect and the worst his former village has to offer-Naruto has learned that lesson well.

* * *

Mei's enjoying a rare moment of peace and quiet. The two council members most opposed to the reforms she passed have been rather violently made examples of. One she cut down in the middle of council meeting, the other torn apart by two of her best ANBU.

It may be antithetical to her talk urging peaceful solutions, but Mei finds it hard to care when it's gotten the council to finally shut up and listen.

She's enjoying the moment of peace the two deaths have brought before straightening as the door bangs open.

"Hanae-san," she starts, eyeing the woman standing in the doorway, "you know you're supposed to make an appointment."

"Sure," the other woman agrees easily, striding forward and dropping a folder onto her desk.

"Also, I'd just like to say thanks."

"For?" Mei asks.

"For giving the best presents. Honestly, I don't know how you managed to find this one, but I'm definitely not complaining." Hanae responds, reaching forward and flipping open the folder so she can see Naruto's name written across the top of the first document.

Mei finds herself eyeing the woman before her. Hanae had been given a teaching position after losing half her left arm and most of her right leg in the rebellion. Before that she'd been one of their best strategists and one of their fiercest fighters. For Naruto to have actually impressed her-well, that's more than she'd dared hope for.

"Analysis?" Mei asks, turning her full attention on the sensei.

Hanae grins then, a viciously pleased slash of teeth.

"We had him fight the most talented kid in three different classes. He beat two of them easily and managed to severely injure the third. The kid's ruthless and not afraid of fighting dirty. His work needs some polishing, that's true, but it's clear he's comfortable and used to combat. The kid's fast, ruthless, and clever. I can easily see him becoming a kenjutsu master with the proper training."

"Even better are his answers to the written test. He ignored the history questions-which I expected since he'd not from Kiri, but he did well on mathematics and literature. But that's not the best part-the best part are his answers to the practical application portion."

Mei flips through the test Hanae had brought with her at that, quickly reading through the answers. She wasn't sure what she had expected, not really, but she's happily surprised. The answers are practical and clinical, with the reasoning behind them quickly summarized.

The best part, though, is his final answer. Cold, like all shinobi need to be, but also acknowledging the importance of a personal code. Practical and not emotional, realistic but not entirely psychopathic.

With the right training and the right care, Uzumaki Naruto could be the pride of Kiri.

She thought fate had been mistaken when it gave Zabuza a soulmate. Now, seeing the enormous potential the boy has, she's never been more grateful to be wrong.


	6. Class

**A/N: I'm fucking up the timeline quite a bit, so in this Naruto, Suigetsu, and Haku are all the same age. And I made Haku nonbinary because I wanted to ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯**

* * *

"Suigetsu," the voice repeats again, louder this time, but he continues dozing, head resting against the wood.

At least until he jolts upright, the feel of a kunai thudding into his desk. He looks up slowly, eyes widening in horror as he notices the locks of hair strewn across the desk. Suigetsu glares at the figure next to him then, eyes narrowed.

"You cut my hair!" He accuses with all the venom he can muster, but Haku only rolls their eyes.

"Better your hair than your neck," they respond, idly twirling another kunai between their fingers.

"You're a jerk," the boy replies with no real heat, glaring already softening as he turns back and sweeps the hair off his desk.

"And you slept through sensei's announcement," Haku counters as they pin their hair up.

"What announcement?" He asks, yawn interrupting his words and prompting an unimpressed look.

"We're getting a classmate," they inform him, moving to slip their kunai back into their embroidered sleeve.

"You don't think they're going to pair them with us?" Suigetsu starts, a thought occurring as he looks back up at his classmate.

"It makes sense," they respond with an elegant shrug, the movement making him frown.

"I guess." They are going to be graduating soon, and they are the only students without a third teammate-or at least one for when they form a team. He just wonders how the academy managed to find a new student that would be able to keep up with them-or if whoever they are even can.

* * *

They resist the urge to sigh as they watch Suigetsu bounce his leg impatiently, hand insistently tapping at the table. For all his skill, for all that the seven swordsmen are considering to have him join, he can still be so childish sometimes.

"Haku. Suigetsu," a familiar voice interrupts, Hanae-sensei walking towards them with an unfamiliar figure next to her.

"Hai sensei," the two respond, Haku promptly and Suigetsu grudgingly.

"This is Uzumaki Naruto," she replies, gesturing to the boy next to her. "He's part of your team now."

Haku casts his eyes over the new addition, noting how he ways his surrounding warily, how he shifts stances subtly but is clearly ready to fight. He's obviously a fellow orphan abandoned to the streets. Not even a clan child displays that level of caution.

"Uzumaki?" Suigetsu interrupts then, "didn't we wipe them all out?"

At that Haku shoots Naruto an apologetic glance. For all of Suigetsu's talent, he still hasn't gained an ounce of tact.

"Guess you didn't do a good enough job," the boy easily retorts, bright blue eyes crinkling in amusement.

Naruto falls into the seat next to them, easily crossing his legs together as he eyes them over. Haku stays still, expectantly eyeing him back, while Suigetsu bristles. Really, they think with a roll of their eyes, he needs to stop thinking of everything as a challenge.

Hanae-sensei has walked back to the front of the room when Haku smiles, introducing themselves with a bow and a carefully shy wave.

"Hoozuki Suigetsu," their classmate says next, blinking when Naruto doesn't show any sign of recognition at the clan name.

"How'd you end up here?" He presses on, eyeing Naruto as the boy tilts his head, one hand reaching up to rub at his neck.

"I'm from Konoha. I defected when I found out they were going to kill me."

"I didn't think Leaf was in the habit of killing academy students." (Students, not children, when they accepted the responsibility they weren't children any longer.)

"They like to pretend they're not," is all Naruto says on the matter, giving them another assessing look before turning to look back at Hanae-sensei.

Haku doesn't blame him for keeping quiet. He has no reason to trust them yet, and everyone knows secrets in the wrong hands can kill.

Still, they think, watching those blue eyes scan the room, watching as he settles into a deceptively relaxed stance, there's something compelling about Uzumaki Naruto. There's something powerful about the boy, something dangerous too.

Haku looks forward to seeing that power realized.


	7. Challenge

The students are filtering out of the classroom, Naruto trailing behind the rest, when he turns at the sound of his name.

Hanae-sensei moves close, waving ahead the students that stop to look back at him, before turning her attention back to him.

"The Mizukage wants you at training ground seven."

"Why?" Naruto asks, hoping his soulmate doesn't feel the brief flash of unease he feels at the unexpected words. He's not sure he can handle dealing with more protective rage.

"The swordsmen-or at what's left of them," Hanae-sensei amends, "are testing possible recruits there. Mei-sama thought they might be interested in your skills. I'm to escort you there."

Naruto doesn't bother hiding his skepticism at that. He knows how to fight but he's no kenjutsu expert, he's never handled a blade before.

It's not like showing up will do any harm though, not when Zabuza is bound to be there.

"Thank you sensei," Naruto replies, waiting for Hanae-sensei's answering nod before moving.

* * *

"Are you lost?" Suigetsu greets him with those words, looking confused as Naruto saunters onto the practice grounds.

"Nope," he replies, popping the word just to watch the other boy frown.

His classmate goes to speak again at that, probably to demand an explanation, when Naruto turns and smiles as Zabuza approaches, his soulmate's own happiness at seeing him well matching his own.

Zabuza shoots Suigetsu a disdainful glare, message clear enough to make him scamper off.

Turning back to him, his soulmate sighs and crosses his arms.

"Konoha doesn't really do kenjutsu, I'm sure you've never handled a blade. But Mei still thought you should do this. I can't say I'm expecting you to win against him, but I know you'll put up a fight."

Well, yeah.

His soulmate snickers at the expression he sends him. "Stupid thing to say, I know you will."

"So I'm supposed to be fighting Suigetsu?" Naruto asks, frowning contemplatively.

"If that's the kid's name, yeah, you are."

"You have a blade?" He asks, a plan already forming as he thinks back to the way his classmate acted.

"Here," his soulmate replies, handing him a blade he knows enough to recognize as a tanto.

"Alright," Naruto says with a nod, fingers trailing along the flat edge of the tanto, careful not to prick himself.

"You know, if you need to, you don't have to use the blade-" Zabuza starts, but Naruto shakes his head.

"No, I've got a plan. I'll need it."

Zabuza reaches out through the bond, seeming to search for something, but Naruto knows all he can feel is his confidence and a low thread of excitement.

"Alright," his soulmate finally says, stepping forward and correcting his grip on the handle before giving him an awkward nod and moving to stand next to the fence at the side of the makeshift ring.

Naruto looks around, noting the familiar form of Kisame next to his soulmate and the unfamiliar figures next to him. He doesn't bother hiding his stare, looking at the masked figure with wild hair and the smirking kunoichi next to them.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kisame calls, voice booming across the grounds. "You two have your swords, you know what you're supposed to do!"

Suigetsu readies his blade, wide smile showing he thinks he's already won.

But Naruto watched him in class. He knows the signs of overconfidence, of rushing forward instead of thinking. He can use that eager nature.

His classmate rushes forwards and Naruto only barely dodges, rolling to the side before leaping up to his feet. A strike he barely blocks, a strike he dodges again-and there!

Naruto kicks up his feet as Suigetsu leaps, the shock of the collision giving him just enough time to wrench the other's practice blade away.

He takes advantage of the boy's surprise, leaping forward and kicking a knee into his stomach, one hand bracing against his elbow and the other hand wrenching at his arm.

It turns into a brawl soon enough, Suigetsu fighting and kicking as Naruto dodges his attacks and manages to slam a fist into his face. Suigetsu nearly has him pinned when Naruto sinks his teeth into his shoulder, taking advantage of the moment of shock to flip him again, kicking the air out of his lungs and slamming his fist into the boy's face rapid fire, again and again.

Finally he pulls back, Suigetsu weakly groaning as blood trickles down his nose and wells from his lips.

"Shit!" Someone whistles then, a low impressed sound, and Naruto leaps to his feet, gaze darting to the kunoichi he saw earlier.

She saunters closer, a wide smile on her face, and he blinks, noticing how she's barely taller than him.

The kunoichi looks him over, poking the bruise on his cheek gently before turning to the other swordsmen.

"I want him," she announces with cheerful determination.

"Ringo," Zabuza hisses, but she stares back, clearly not intimidated.

"Speed like that would go to waste with your blade and you know it. That speed, that ruthlessness, that drive-that's what the Kiba deserve."

"The Kiba?" Naruto interrupts then, fighting back a flinch when she turns back.

"The Kiba blades, she elaborates with a smile, drawing out one of the blades sheathed on her hip and twirling it, lightning dancing across the edges.

Naruto turns to look at his soulmate, noting how his tense shoulders gradually relax before he speaks.

"If you're gonna do it, Ameyuri, make your offer."

"I am!" this Ameyuri calls back to him, grinning wide before turning back to Naruto.

He represses the urge to step back at that unnerving smile, at how utterly delighted she looks to see him. It makes him uneasy.

"I, Ringo Ameyuri," she speaks then, "extend this offer of invitation. Will you, Uzumaki Naruto, consent to becoming my apprentice when you have achieved the rank of chuunin?"

"I-" he swallows, mind racing as he considers the offer. He could be one of the seven swordsmen. He could be one of the most legendary shinobi in the world. He could go down in history.

"Yeah," Naruto finally manages, "I accept."

Ringo lets out a peal of laughter at that, reaching out an arm and ruffling his hair before he shoves her away in protest.

"Come on," she says, smile turning wicked, "I'm gonna make you worthy of those blades."


	8. Jinchuuriki

They were being followed.

Their pursuer had started off slow, probably afraid of alerting them to their presence, but their increasing speed must have alerted their stalker.

They didn't have a plan, not really, nothing beyond getting as far away from Kiri as possible, but this…this complicates things.

Saiken wants to fight, like usual, but he finds himself reluctant, knowing all too well that killing their pursuer will likely just send more after them.

But whoever it is is refusing to stop, has even sped up their pursuit, and reluctantly he agrees with Saiken's yells, setting up an encampment and waiting for whoever it is to catch up.

He blinks, just once, when the figure emerges from the trees, sword slung across his back.

"Hoshigaki," Utakata calls, voice wry, "I take it Kiri wants me back?"

The other man smiles, a grin full of good cheer despite his sharp teeth, and walks forward slowly, careful to make his movements obvious.

"The Mizukage tasked me with dragging you back."

Utakata finds himself tilting his head curiously, stepping back as Hoshigaki moves forward.

"The Mizukage…she's Terumi Mei, right?"

"You're right," Kisame agrees with a low laugh, still stalking forward, still intent on his prey.

"And why," and here he steps to the side, circling around to avoid the swordsman, "does she want me back now, a year after the coup?"

Hoshigaki lets him see the reluctant amusement in his eyes, lets him see the wry expression on his face.

"The nine tails jinchuuriki defected."

What.

"What."

Embarrassing to be caught off guard like that but even Saiken is confused, the slug demanding explanations.

"Konoha was planning on killing him and finding a container that would follow them. Add in his soulmate being in Kiri and, well," Kisame shrugs.

"So I'm…what, supposed to teach him?"

"It shouldn't be that hard," Hoshigaki replies, sensing his wariness has turned to curiosity, "the kid is already talking to the kyuubi."

Utakata can't help it, he stares blankly at the swordsman as the words sink in, as the situation dawns on him.

"So," he starts slowly, "Terumei wants me to help teach the nine tails jinchuuriki how to control his powers and he's already on speaking terms with the kyuubi?"

Hoshigaki only shrugs, his unconcerned mask back on.

Saiken is chattering away now, eager to see his brother again, and Utakata finds himself smiling against his will.

"Why not."

* * *

"You're the jinchuuriki?"

Hoshigaki had called the container a kid, that's true, but he still hadn't expected this.

He still hadn't expected a child.

The kid looks like he's nine or eight at most, outfit just shy of being baggy on his too skinny frame.

"Yeah," the kid says, blue eyes narrowing, "so what?"

"How old are you, even?"

"I'm ten!" the kid declares, straightening to his full and unimpressive height, doing his best to stare him down despite being at least a foot shorter.

Utakata turns his gaze to look at the other adult, to be reassured he's not just imagining this incredibly strange encounter, but Momochi only glares at him, seeming almost protective.

A horrible suspicion dawns then, and he looks between Momochi and the kid as he remembers Hoshigaki's words, resisting the urge to step back when the kid smirks up at him, amusement obvious.

"Alright," he finally manages, doing his best to ignore the images of being ripped apart for insulting the man's soulmate and trying to ignore Saiken's laughter.

"So," he finally asks as he remembers what he meant to say, "who are you?"

The kid looks even more unimpressed then, head tilting as he examines the man towering over him.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the kid declares, "and Kurama wants Saiken to shut up."


	9. Fuinjutsu

Nearly a year had passed and life had settled into a surprisingly comfortable routine.

He only had to wake at dawn to start training with the swordsmen, go to the academy, train with the swordsmen again after school let out, and then go back to Mei-sama's home and pass out before repeating it the next day.

Once a week there was also lessons with Utakata-san, lessons that usually ended up the training ground nearly destroyed and Kurama howling in either anger or delight.

Zabuza had started taking on missions again after the first month had passed, and as much as it hurt the first time, Naruto was growing used to how the bond weakened whenever his soulmate left. He couldn't sense Zabuza's emotions, not when the man was out on missions, but he could sense enough to know the man was alive. That would have to be enough.

* * *

Released early from the usual lesson with Utakata-san after managing to finally knock the man out, Naruto slips through the crowds of people flocking the streets and into the Mizukage tower.

Suigetsu is off doing something, he doesn't particularly care enough to find out what, and Haku is currently training with their sensei from infiltration. Without his friends, however grudging said friendship might be, and without Ringo in the village, he finds himself bored and alone.

And, well, being bored and alone tends to make him do things he shouldn't. Things like sneaking past the bored guards in the halls, things like exploring the lower levels of the Mizukage building.

He may be a shit sensor, but Kurama isn't, and he nods at the fox's warning grumble there's ANBU, doing their best to mask their chakra, following him from a distance as he goes from door to door, opening each and peering inside.

There's nothing interesting, nothing but dusty boxes and faded scrolls, so Naruto resigns himself to leaving and searching for entertainment elsewhere, maybe even bothering one of Mei-sama's aids.

That's the plan until the final door doesn't click open with just a push. It's simple enough to get by the lock with only a press of chakra, warping the wood just enough for the door to creak open.

He can feel the ANBU stop outside the room, seemingly uncertain, and Naruto takes advantage of that uncertainty to slip inside.

Oh.

Scrolls are pinned to the walls, kanji flickering and almost dancing. Naruto watches, wide eyed, as he reaches out his senses and feels the chakra hidden in the scrolls, feels the heavy current dancing through the books stacked against the walls.

 _Seals,_ Kurama rumbles in his mind, the surprise obvious in the fox's voice, and he slowly smiles in response.

This should be fun.

* * *

Naruto wasn't there.

They'd established a routine of sorts after he started taking missions again, a routine that involved his soulmate waiting for him by Mei's office, happily antagonizing the clerks and aides stationed outside.

But his soulmate isn't waiting, and while Zabuza wants to be concerned, he can still feel the low thrum of happiness through the bond, can still feel the contentment Naruto is giving off.

The report is finished within minutes and he's about to leave when one of Mei's endless clerks sticks his head through the door, expression pinched as he surveys the room.

"Mizukage-sama, Momochi," the man pauses then before speaking, fingers tapping on the door frame. "One of the ANBU guarding Uzumaki would like you to come with him."

Mei stands, as elegant as ever, before exchanging a look with him, rolling her eyes when he offers no answers. Zabuza knows he's fine, that much is obvious, so he has no fucking clue why the ANBU are demanding them or why the routine changed.

"Report," Mei tells the shinobi standing at attention in the hall, sweeping her eyes over her, and the woman grimaces in response.

"With all due respect, Mizukage-sama, it would be easier to show you."

* * *

"Ikeda," Zabuza greets the man standing guard outside the door, the ANBU giving him only a nod in response before Zabuza opens it, wondering just what could hold Naruto's attention for so long. Wondering just what could keep him from noticing the thread of concern snaking along the bond.

He stops just short of the threshold, though, stopping at the sight of scrolls covering the floor, of parchment pinned to the walls.

Stopping at the sight of Naruto standing on the ceiling, one leg kicked up as he painstakingly draws a brush over a blank scroll.

"Easy," his soulmate mutters, "easy," before finishing with a flourish, swinging forward and sticking the scroll against the wall with a gentle application of chakra.

And then Naruto smiles down at him, a smile he's grown to love, before dropping from the ceiling. He easily flips up, feet landing on his soulmate's shoulders as he grins at Mei from his perch.

"Do I want to know what you've been doing?" Mei asks dryly, though the amusement in her voice is plain.

Zabuza may not be able to see the expression on his face, but he can feel Naruto's excitement, can feel the joy through the bond.

"Seals."

"Seals?"

"There's books here-" and he gestures grandly, still perched on Zabuza's shoulders, "there's books on fuinjutsu here-probably taken from Uzushio-and Kurama helped with the more difficult parts."

"So, what," he asks his soulmate, grabbing hold of his ankle and pushing until Naruto flips forward and into a handstand on the floor. "You've been studying seals?"

"Studying?" Naruto repeats, an almost manic look in his eyes as he peers up at them two of them. "I've been making them!"

Naruto flips back and onto his feet, still smiling, before pointing eagerly to the scrolls on the wall.

"This one is a basic chakra suppression seal," he pivots then, pointing to the next, "and this one actually drains chakra, taking it from the target and giving it to whoever applies it."

"I found one that binds the target, but only for a few seconds, and I found a way to turn the length into minutes!"

"There's explosive seals I want to test too," Naruto continues, tapping his fingers against yet another parchment pinned to the wall, "and this one-I haven't tested it, but it should flood whatever area it's in with water."

He pauses, still smiling, before adding on, "I made that one."

Zabuza doesn't know shit about fuinjutsu, has never even thought of bothering to learn, but he can feel the chakra hidden in the seals on the wall, can see that whatever the seals are, they look like the ones Kiri had long ago looted from the remains of Uzushio.

"If you made it," he interrupts whatever Mei's about to say, ignoring her in favor of his soulmate, "then we have to test it."

Naruto beams up at him, smile practically lighting up the room, before darting forward and peeling off some of the seals, rolling them up and managing a shunshin into the hallway before any of them can react.

Laughing lowly at the looks on the guards' faces, he saunters forward, eagerly following Naruto as he slips past the crowds and heads to the training grounds, listening idly as the kid ducks to the side of a street vendor, still gesturing wildly as he expounds on the seals.

It's good to be home.


End file.
